Implications for practice and research

Conflicting evidence regarding the role of vitamin D in allergic disease highlights the need for well-designed clinical trials.

This study and others suggest that early life vitamin D insufficiency may increase eczema risk.

Supplementation during pregnancy may increase cord blood vitamin D and subsequent early life exposure.

Context

The human fetus is dependent on maternal vitamin D status during gestation. Vitamin D deficiency rates in pregnant women have been reported as being more than 70% in some clinical practices.1 Our understanding of prenatal vitamin D's role in modulating immune function and the risk of developing allergic disorders is still in its infancy. Jones and colleagues recently examined whether vitamin D3 levels in cord blood were associated …

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